Eggplant Parmesan

1.5 hours/labor-intensive but not difficult/serves 6-8

nutrition per serving:

470 calories, 30g protein, 44g carbs, 20g fat, 15g sugar

ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants

• Kosher salt

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 eggs

• 3 cups Plain panko breadcrumbs

• vegetable oil

• 4 cups of sauce (homemade or jarred sauce. I use Raos marinara sauce)

• 4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded

• 1-2 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped (optional)

• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped (optional)

directions

1. Slice the eggplants into even slices, about ¼-1/2 inch cuts.
2. Arrange the eggplant slices flat on paper towels. I arrange paper towel sheets on baking sheet pans.
3. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with kosher salt. This will “sweat” the excess moisture out of the eggplant. The eggplant will cook better and wont be soggy.
4. After about 10-15 minutes, you will see moisture on the top of the slices. Pat the eggplant slices dry with a paper towel, also removing the excess salt.

Now is the labor-intensive part of this production:

Assemble 3 bowls – 1 bowl with flour, 1 bowl with the whisked eggs and 1 with the breadcrumbs.

Have a couple of baking sheet pans nearby – you will place the coated eggplant slices on them.

Here we go! This is a 3-step dipping process.

1. One at a time, dip the eggplant slices into the flour, making sure the slices are completely covered. Shake off any excess flour as you go.
2. Then dip the floured slices into the whisked eggs, coating them on both sides. Gently shake the access eggs off of each one.
3. Then coat each slice in the breadcrumbs. Drop them into the breadcrumbs and move them around to coat is the easiest way.
4. When the slices are coated in all 3 ingredients, place them on a baking sheet pan. This can get messy, so keep a towel nearby to wipe your fingers when you need to. And keep close to the sink – you may need to rinse your fingers from time to time!

Next step is to fry the eggplant slices. Some people bake them instead – I like the crispy result from frying.

1. Using a skillet (I like to use a cast iron skillet, for hot, even frying), fry the slices a few at a time in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Get the skillet hot, and open some windows! Your kitchen can get a little smoky and the eggplant will cook quickly, so do NOT walk away from your frying.
2. Fry the eggplant slices for a couple of minutes on each side – get the sides a bit crispy and do not let them burn. Adjust your stove temperature accordingly.
3. Repeat this frying process with all of the eggplant slices and place them all onto paper towels to absorb the extra oils.

Now we can put all the ingredients together in a large baking dish!

1. Spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of your dish.
2. Add a layer of the fried eggplant slices.
3. Add a layer of shredded mozzarella.
4. Add a layer of marinara sauce.
5. Add another layer of the fried eggplant slices.
6. Add a final layer of shredded mozzarella.
7. Add a good amount of marinara, then add shredded parmesan on top.
8. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any overflow. Bake uncovered in the middle of your oven for about 30 minutes at 400F. Watch it in the oven so the top doesn’t burn.
9. After taking it out of the oven, top with fresh basil and oregano before serving if desired.

notes

Lou and I could eat this cold. And we do. I recently made a big baking dish of this stuff and we picked at it for a few days until it was gone. And then we wanted more. Yes, it’s labor intensive, but I guarantee that whoever you make this for will fall into it. Serve it with some side veggies or some crusty bread. Or just eat it straight out of the dish with a spoon. Who am I to judge?